FOTODOK x WORM: Closer to the Truth – Forms of Art in Wartime Ukraine
The film programme accompanying Yana Kononova’s Radiations of War exhibition—initiated by FOTODOK x WORM and curated by Anton Shebetko—considers the role of artists in wartime.
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, artists have been forced to take a stand, to build resistance, and to form their own responses to the unfolding crisis—whether as soldiers, archivists or critical observers. Some have joined the armed struggle, whilst others have documented destruction, joined attempts to preserve cultural heritage, or worked to challenge dominant narratives. This selection of short films looks carefully at the choices and positions that artists have assumed in the face of existential threat.
Roman Khimei and Yarema Malashchuk’s Explosions Near the Museum examines Russian looting at the Kherson Museum of Local Lore, where an entire historical archive was stolen. Elsewhere, Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk’s Liturgy of Anti-Tank Obstacles focuses on a community of sculptors as they change creative course— from crafting religious sculptures to forging metal defenses for Ukraine’s army. In A Pike is No Fish, Yelyzaveta Sherstnova follows Dmytro, a potter and the lead singer of the folk band Shchuka Ryba, in his efforts to preserve Ukrainian traditions in Kyiv. Kateryna Khramtsova’s experimental short Crimea tells the story of theatre director Antonina Romanova, who joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine alongside their partner in the first few days of the full-scale invasion. Finally, Mykola Ridnyi’s The Battle Over Mazepa reinterprets historical narratives through the medium of battle rap, contrasting Western literary portrayals ofIvan Mazepa—a renowned leader of the former Zaporizhzhian Sich—with those from Russia.
Together, these films offer a multi-layered response to a central question: What is the role of art and its maker in times of war?
Roman Khimei and Yarema Malashchuk, Explosions Near the Museum (14 minutes)
Looted by Russian occupational forces between 24–26 October, the Kherson Museum of Local Lore used to house Southern Ukraine’s largest and oldest collections of antiquities. The museum featured more than 173,000 objects spanning 7,000 years, from Scythian gold to World War II weaponry. Two weeks before Kherson was liberated by Ukrainian troops, Russian occupational forces enacted a strategic theft, stripping centuries of Ukrainian history from the museum and its surrounding region.
Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk, Liturgy of Anti-Tank Obstacles: When Artists Prepare for War (13 minutes)
Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchu’s film places viewers in a series of workshops where sculptors develop anti-tank defense obstacles for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. All the while, silent statues watch on—prominent Ukrainian figures, angels, cossacks, and numerous sculptures of Jesus—as if expectantly awaiting new creations.
Yelyzaveta Sherstnova, A Pike is No Fish (15 minutes)
Is there a future without an understanding of history, culture and tradition? Dmytro, a potter and the lead singer of the folk band Shchuka Ryba, seeks an answer to this question as he strives to instill a love for tradition in modern Kyiv. In the heart of the capital, though, Khreshchatyk Street remains steeped in oblivion and pain.
Kateryna Khramtsova, Crimea (10 minutes)
On February 25 2022, non-binary theatre director and performer Antonina Romanova joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine, continuing a lifelong journey of resistance that started with Crimean Tatar activism and continued through Euromaidan. Their story unfolds in a bold, experimental film that pieces together personal and historical struggles, turning an individual’s fight into a powerful metaphor for Ukraine’s resilience.
Mykola Ridnyi, The Battle Over Mazepa (20 minutes)
Ridnyi’s The Battle Over Mazepa reimagines the historical figure of Ivan Mazepa in the form of a rap battle, juxtaposing Byron’s romantic hero with Pushkin’s imperialist traitor. Four rappers from diverse backgrounds responded to these literary portrayals, creating a six-round battle. The project bridges history, literature and hip-hop, questioning how narratives of Mazepa shift across cultures and time.
About the Curator
Anton Shebetko (he/him) is a Ukrainian artist, photographer, curator and writer from Kyiv, currently living in Amsterdam. His works focus on issues facing the LGBTQ+ community in Ukraine, spanning themes of memory, identity loss, the multiplicity of history, and the role that photography and archival materials can play in revealing these stories.
Cineville valid at the door and online the day of the screening!